Bars, restaurants and other hospitality venues on Westside are being urged to showcase all that is good in the industry by entering the region’s tourism awards.
BID members are encouraged to sign up for the West Midlands Tourism Awards 2022 which aim to highlight the sector’s resilience in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic.
The awards also serve to celebrate the importance of the West Midlands’ £13.1 billion tourism industry to the regional economy.
Applications are now open for tourism and hospitality venues across the region to apply to compete for honours in 14 categories, including Large Visitor Attraction of the Year; Experience of the Year; and the Accessible & Inclusive Tourism Award.
The gold and silver winners of each category will be automatically shortlisted for VisitEngland’s National Awards for Excellence next summer.
A new category – the Resilience and Innovation Award – will recognise companies which have demonstrated flexibility and support for their local communities during a turbulent 18 months for the tourism sector.
Supported by the West Midlands Growth Company – which aims to attract visitors and events to the region – the awards are free to enter and will be independently judged.
Becky Frall, head of visitor attractions at the West Midlands Growth Company, said: “The West Midlands Tourism Awards highlight excellence across the sector. After an incredibly tough time for our region’s visitor economy, next year’s ceremony will celebrate the efforts of our businesses, which have delivered outstanding service because the show must go on.
“Whether it’s providing a backdrop for friends and family to get together or offering people job opportunities, our tourism sector plays a crucial role in the West Midlands’s quality of life.
“We want to celebrate the achievements of our visitor destinations during our awards night next year, and we urge businesses across the region to log on to our website and get involved.”
Westside BID general manager Mike Olley said: “Our hospitality venues worked tirelessly during the pandemic and also went above and beyond to ensure they maintained a top quality service.
“So it is only fitting that they seek to gain the recognition they thoroughly deserve by entering these tourism awards.”
The closing date for entries is Sunday 10 October, with the ceremony taking place in early 2022.
For more information about the West Midlands Tourism Awards 2022, including details of how to enter, visit https://www.makeitwm.com/wmta
By Tony Collins
